Hope (Book 2, Harvester of Light Trilogy; Young Adult Science Fiction) Read Online Free PDF

arms.
    “I guess you’re my
date now,” Zoe said, lacing an arm around one of Kirk’s.
    “That was very
impressive, Ms. Zoe,” Kirk complimented.  “You may have the makings of a match
maker.”
    Zoe shrugged like
it was no big deal.  “Come on let’s dance!”
    Before I knew it,
Ash and I were alone again, just in time for the first slow song of the night.
    Ash pulled me in
tight against him.  I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my head on his
chest as we swayed to the music.  The warmth emanating from his body lulled
mine to relax for the first time that night.  The gentle play of his hands
trailing down my back to rest on my hips felt so natural I didn’t feel the need
to move his hands to a less intimate site.
    “Skye…”
    Reluctantly, I
lifted my head from Ash’s warmth to meet his pained gaze.
    “What’s wrong?” I
asked. 
    “Come with me,” he
said in a hoarse voice, taking one of my hands to lead me away from the others
around us.
    Underneath one of
the twinkling trees in the park, Ash ducked behind it and leaned his back
against its trunk using it as a brace before pulling me in close to his body. 
In the secluded oasis, I felt his hands travel up and down my back as he looked
into my eyes with so much tenderness I wondered what he would say next.
    “I know I never
showed how much I cared about you when we were in the Eastern Kingdom, but I
never felt like it was the right time to tell you,” he began.  “That’s why I
kept bringing us back to the barrier.  I kept praying we would find a way to
make it through.  I knew if I could only take you somewhere we didn’t have to
struggle so hard to survive I could show you how I really felt about you and
maybe we could start a real life together.  That’s all I’ve ever wanted, Skye:
for us to have a chance at a real life without having to worry about the
harvesters taking our children away.  And now we have that.  We have a chance
to be happy if you’ll just let go of the outside world and give me a chance to
make that happen.  I love you more than anything or anyone.  I just couldn’t
allow myself to admit it to you before now.  I don’t want to lose you to
someone else without you knowing how I feel.”
    My heart yearned
to accept Ash’s offer of happily ever after.  How many cold, sleepless nights
in the Eastern Kingdom had I wanted him to offer me his love?  For more than
five years I silently pined for Ash.  My heart aching for him to love me the
way I loved him.  It was a love I thought could never be broken.  Then I met
Jace and everything changed for me.  Maybe it wasn’t supposed to be possible to
love two people at the same time, but I couldn’t deny my love for Jace anymore
than I could deny I loved Ash.  And I couldn’t lie to Ash.  He deserved to know
the whole truth.
    “Ash, I…”
    A loud boom from
the direction of the dance cut my words off.  Ash and I looked around the tree
back towards the dance floor.  A fire now blazed in the middle of the stage
where the band had been playing.  People were screaming and trying to get as
far away from the fire as possible.  A man with long messy hair, dressed in a
ratty looking green coat was silhouetted by the flames behind him.  He grabbed
the microphone off the floor where the singer must have dropped it and spoke.
    “You should all be
ashamed of yourselves,” he yelled, crazed with anger.  “Prancing around here
like you ain’t got a care in the world!  Well let me tell you good citizens of
the south, y’all are just as bad if not worse than the harvesters!  At least
they ain’t pretending to be your friends by offerin’ food and clothes.  At
least you know where you stand with those bastards.  No, it’s the ones offerin’
you help you can’t turn your backs on!”
    A group of ten
guards made a mad dash towards the stage from every direction.
    “Do you know what
your government is doin’?” He demanded, realizing he didn’t